The use of switchable finger levers of the pre-cited type made after the lever-in-lever principle is constantly increasing because, while offering a variability of the valve train, they necessitate only relatively insignificant modifications to prior art cylinder heads and their surrounding structures. The basic principle of such finger levers is known, for instance, from DE-OS 27 63 197 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,626.
The outer levers of switchable finger levers are made in the prior art by casting or similar creative forming methods. Fabrication by a casting method is relatively complex and therefore also expensive. In addition, as a rule, a lever made by casting is relatively heavy and thus has a detrimental effect on the friction and the oscillating masses in the valve train.